


Wait ... What?

by Codexfawkes



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Bucky is confused, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Silly Stories, Thank You Pie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-03
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-03-13 02:57:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13561263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Codexfawkes/pseuds/Codexfawkes
Summary: “Yup, I heard it from a very reliable source that Barnes once went to Siberia with a dog, and fought a tiger,” Clint insisted with a remarkably straight face if you ignored the eyes dancing with suppressed mirth.





	Wait ... What?

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently my muse is back in business, because I wrote this entire fic this morning and waking up from a dream where someone was saying “No really, he went to Siberia with a dog and fought a tiger.” Enjoy!

Ever since Steve brought is old buddy back to the tower, rumors had been flying about Barnes. According to the rumor mill, mostly lead by one whose name rhymes with Flint Darton, Bucky Barnes (who she hadn’t actually met yet) was ten feet tall, spoke only in Haiku, and once fought a tiger.

“Wait … what?” Darcy asked with a disbelieving tone as she finally let Clint distract her from the pile of notes she was scanning into the system.

“Yup, I heard it from a very reliable source that Barnes once went to Siberia with a dog, and fought a tiger,” Clint insisted with a remarkably straight face if you ignored the eyes dancing with suppressed mirth. She knew what he was doing. Clint was wrangling her the way she wrangled Jane. He’d decided she worked too hard and since then had taken any excuse to engage her so Darcy would take a break. These increasingly crazy tales about Barnes were just his latest diversion tactic.

“I have so many questions,” Darcy chuckled as she leaned back in her chair and grabbed her water bottle. The corner of Clint’s mouth tilted approvingly as she took a drink.

“Hit me with ‘em,” Clint offered leaning back in his seat.

“The dog, was it a good dog?” Darcy asked with over exaggerated seriousness. Clint couldn’t completely suppress his snort of laughter, but soldiered on.

“Not a perfect canine, but a good dog,” Clint answered, laughter in his tone. Darcy cackled, her head thrown back in delight. Once she got her laughter under control she turned her attention back to the archer who was watching her with a fond smile.

“Okay, okay, so he went to Siberia with the dog. Was the dog already going to Siberia and he tagged along? Was this like a joint vacation, a work thing?” Darcy asked teasingly. Clint’s eyes lit up as she kept playing, he’d been pretty sure she’d have given up the topic after the good dog line.

“The way I heard it, the dog was already headed to Siberia and Barnes tagged along. He’s pretty loyal to his friends, especially since they tend to get themselves in trouble,” Clint answered.

“Alright, why did he fight a tiger? Did it attack him? Did it piss him off by making fun of his brightly dressed dog friend? Was it a mission?” Darcy wanted to know. Clint suppressed a smirk at the brightly dressed comment, but otherwise let it go.

“None of the above actually, see the tiger lived in a zoo but didn’t want to anymore. Barnes heard he wanted out and went to pull a daring rescue with his furry pal, but the tiger didn’t realize he was there to help. But once he understood, well they all got along grrreeeaaat,” Clint finished with a broad grin.

Darcy dissolved into delighted laughter at the ridiculous joke. Clint leaned back with a proud smile. She really did work too hard sometimes and he was happy to be able to distract her. Darcy slowly calmed down and her laughter trickled to occasional chuckles. When she reached for her work again, Clint took that his cue to leave.

“Hey Clint?” she asked just before he reached the door.

“Yeah?” he answered turning back to her.

“How about tomorrow, we skip the tall tale about Barnes and you take me to lunch instead,” Darcy offered with a soft smile. The tension that had snapped into Clint’s frame when she said the word skip leeched out, and a genuinely happy smile curled his lips.

“You askin’ me out Darce?” he questioned.

“I am, yes,” Darcy confirmed with a tilt of her head.

“Good, then it’s a date,” Clint agreed. After a moments hesitation he crossed back to her side, and quickly leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead before hurrying out of the lab. The glass door slid shut behind him and after a long moment of silence Darcy turned back to her work.

“I’m glad you guys are finally moving forward, but I really like the Bucky breaks. Who knew Barton was so imaginative? He should write a book or something,” Jane complained mildly.

“I’ll be sure to tell him that,” Darcy chuckled.

“Think he’d buy it if I imposed a Darcy tax? If he wants to take you out he has to keep up the stories for my amusement? You know as recompense for taking up my assistant’s time?” Jane wondered.

“I have no idea, but I definitely want to be here when you try and impose that tax,” Darcy told her with a grin.

 

Later that evening Steve sat on the couch with Bucky and Sam watching Spaceballs, when Jarvis alerted them to a delivery.

“Excuse me for interrupting, but Sergeant Barnes you have a delivery. It has been fully examined and deemed perfectly safe. It is waiting for you on your doorstep,” Jarvis told them.

“ ** _I_** have a delivery, you sure it’s for me?” Bucky asked confused.

“Yes Sergeant, it is most assuredly for you,” Jarvis confirmed.

“You get me something?” Bucky asked looking at Steve as he stood up and headed for the door.

“No, I didn’t order anything. Sam?” Steve asked looking at the only other person he knew of that would randomly get something for Bucky.

“Nah, you know I’m not randomly online shopping for this bucket of grumpy,” Sam teased. Bucky opened the door and saw a round plastic container with a lid sitting on the floor. He blinked in surprise, but picked it up and carried it into the apartment. The bottom of it was warm, and even through the plastic he could smell something sweet. He moved back to the couch and sat down, placing the container on the coffee table. Bucky gingerly pried off the lid and found a cherry pie, still warm from the oven staring back at him. The weirdest part though, was that instead of a more traditional lattice work top, the dough curled to spell out the words: Thank you.

“What that hell?” Bucky asked completely baffled.

 

It wasn’t until a year later when The Adventures of Burly Bear, a children’s story about a Russian bear with a mechanical arm who escapes an unhappy life in a circus to find his way home, was published that Bucky finds out about the role he played in Clint’s wooing of Darcy. After reading the book and seeing Burly’s dog friend who loved bright colors and had a spot of white fur on his chest in the shape of a star, his falcon buddy who cracked jokes while helping Burly along his way, and the graceful red panda that Burly makes heart eyes at, Bucky couldn’t even be mad. When he found out all the proceeds Clint made off it were going to help kids with disabilities, well, he couldn’t help suggest some adventures for the next book.


End file.
